


Magi: Sono Otetsudaisan Cafe

by AlaMorAliHaku, RikkaTsukiakari



Category: Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic
Genre: Crossdressing, F/M, Highschool AU, M/M, Modern AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-16
Updated: 2016-05-19
Packaged: 2018-03-30 05:49:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,596
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3925213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlaMorAliHaku/pseuds/AlaMorAliHaku, https://archiveofourown.org/users/RikkaTsukiakari/pseuds/RikkaTsukiakari
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ja’far had always been Sinbad's best friend. The freckled man knew that Sinbad was straighter than the edge of a ruler; just as Sinbad knew how dead-serious Ja’far was when it came to studying. The two knew each other like the backs of their own hands- Or so Sinbad thought.<br/>Everything he thought he knew about Ja’far changes one day, when Sinbad runs into him...<br/>.<br/>.<br/>IN A MAID COSTUME?! Wait, wait, wait....<br/>.<br/>.<br/>.<br/>WHAT DO YOU MEAN HIS COUSIN?!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Okay. So this was an idea that popped in my mind after I reminisced Kaichou wa Maid-sama. I told my cousin, which is AlaMorAliHaku, about it and she helped me do some scenes in order to complete the plot. First fanfic here at AO3 and first Magi fanfic as well so I'm hoping it does make sense and is enjoyable somehow. I also hope that the characters are not so OOC. Seriously, I'm the worst when it comes to characterization but oh well, you can judge. Please do tell me about grammatical errors and such, also feel free to tell me what else I have to improve. Criticisms are very much appreciated. 
> 
> Disclaimer: We don't own Magi: The Labyrinth/Kingdom of Magic. All rights should be given to the almighty Shinobu Ohtaka-san.

Ja’far could only sigh.

From exhaustion or exasperation, no one could say.

 

But if one thing was for sure, it was caused by a certain purple haired man who was now whining beside Ja’far as he tried his best to study (a futile effort) in the library.

 

“ _Sin…_ ” the freckled man hissed, annoyed at how loud the purple head was asking him for advice about his damn girlfriend again. Honestly, he wondered how the hell the librarian couldn’t hear the childish and irritating whines from his friend.

 

“But Ja’faaar! I don’t know what to do. You know Kougyoku’s very aggressive. I can’t just tell her that we have to break up. You heard the rumors too, right? ” Sinbad, oblivious of the white haired man’s sentiments, kept poking his arm. He was aware that Ja’far was studying, but really, this was a matter of life and death. He could take Ja’far’s wrath, yes, but as they say, hell hath no fury like that of a lady's.

 

“It’s your fault, idiot. You shouldn’t have dated her in the first place if you knew how dangerous she was.” Jafar retorted, still trying to take some notes. He could forget about getting any studying done here, it was simply impossible with Sinbad around. Sinbad always found ways to bug him- which left Ja’far questioning his usually good judgement. How on earth had this..this _buffoon_ …become his best friend?

 

“She’s gonna kill me! Aren’t you at least concerned about my life?”  
“ _Nope._ ”  
“You’re so harsh, Ja’faar!” As if Ja’far’s blunt attitude had hurt him physically, Sinbad dramatically clutched his chest and leaned his head on the freckled man’s shoulder- which was immediately and roughly shrugged off, causing Sinbad to fall face first onto the table with a loud thump. “AGH!!”

  

Not affected at all, Ja’far continued to read and copy down notes. “Let’s see… _Piercing through Carotid arteries and marrow_ …”

 

“You know Ja’far, I’m starting to wonder where your priorities lie.” Sinbad pouted childishly as he made another attempt to lean his head on Ja’far. (Thankfully, he was not shrugged off this time.) “It’s almost as if you prioritize those… _gross and creepy_ things over the life of your great best friend.”

 

With a quick eye-roll, Ja’far replied dryly. “I _do._ ”

Sinbad’s immediate response dripped with comical shock and hurt. “ _Jaaa’faar!_ ”

 

Ja’far could only slump his head on the table, resignation laced in his voice. “Sin, how many times did I tell you not to date a dangerous girl? About a thousand. And did you ever listen to me? No!” He turned his head to the side to face the teen beside him, “And she’s the eighth one this year. Sin, you basically dated all of the Ren daughters besides Hakuei already- I fail to see what’s so hard about breaking up with Kougyoku.”

“ **She basically broke every bone of her last boyfriend!** ”

_Well, that certainly was true…_

 “Then face the music. Allow yourself to be killed for your stupidity. ” replied Ja’far, plainly and annoyed, as if it was the most obvious solution to the dilemma.

Sadly, that didn't deter Sinbad from animatedly crying and sulking, complaining about how heartless Ja’far was being despite all they’d been through together. Then suddenly, he caught a glimpse of swaying hips.

 The purple haired man stopped his motions for a minute.

.

.

.

"Hey _, hey!_ Would you look at that?A cutie just passed by..." As if his past predicament had been thrown out the window, Sinbad magically revitalized himself. "Hey Ja’far, you think that girl is new? Never saw her around campus before."

Ja’far, tired of being bothered by the idiot beside him, turned his head in the direction Sinbad pointed. Sinbad had possibly found something else to occupy his time- which Ja’far quickly realized could be of huge benefit to him. This situation could potentially distract Sinbad from his previous sulking, and, _thank the heavens_ , give Ja’far some peace to study in.

 

With this realization, Ja’far decided to relinquish some valuable information to help his friend. "I think she's new. She certainly needs someone to show her around…don’t you think so, Sin?" He asked innocently, pretending the suggestion wasn’t mostly a ploy to make Sinbad go away.

Sinbad grinned, as if a silent agreement had just been made between them. He imagined Ja’far approving his actions and patting him on the back- _Go and flirt with that damn girl, lady killer._

 “Oh Ja’far, you know me too well. I shall see to it that that poor girl gets a personal tour by yours truly around campus before she gets lost.” He winked and stood up from his chair, charisma oozing out in anticipation. Ja’far allowed himself a smirk in return.

"Oh, and by the way," The purple haired man crouched down to the same level as his friend, his breath hot on Ja’far's ear. Ja’far swore he felt all of his blood rush to his face.

 

"Thanks for the encouragement, sweet cheeks." Sinbad whispered teasingly before placing a playful kiss on the freckled man's cheek, causing him to sputter and blush fiercely. Sin grinned at him one last time, before wandering off to approach his damsel in distress.

 

Ja’far would never, _ever_ get used to Sin's antics.

 

" _What are you so flustered for?_ " came another deep voice (which could only belong to a familiar redhead).

 

"I'm not." replied Ja’far (in denial) as he looked up. "Hi Kouen, Hakuei and..Hakuryuu, was it?" 

 

Kouen nodded in acknowledgement while the lady beside him smiled and returned his greeting politely. "Hey, Ja’far-san."  Hakuryuu just nodded his head and bowed while uttering a formal, “Nice to meet you, Jafar-san.”

 

The Ren arrivals sat down at the table and begun retrieving their books and notebooks from their backpacks to study. “ _Finally something productive to do,”_ Ja’far thought as he waited for their preparations to end. He silently wondered why the other Ren, an underclassman, was intruding on their usual routine and gave a questioning eyebrow lift. He decided it would be too rude to bother asking out loud.

Due to their school’s goal of establishing and strengthening bonds between students, all students were put into groups of three in order to help each other out. Hakuei and Kouen were very compatible with Ja’far, and he was thankful to have them as his partners. Aside from the fact that both were effective teachers and had extremely strong grasps on their subjects of forte, they were both additionally very kind and reliable people. Ja’far had easily made friends with both of them, especially Kouen despite their initially awkward interactions. Kouen had been stiffer than Ja’far at the start, but had gradually warmed up to him after being impressed with the white haired man’s efficiency and quick comprehension skills. 

"Ah, by the way, Hakuryuu wanted to tag along since his study partners..well...ran off. Is it alright if he joins in?" Hakuei explained while looking at Ja’far, to which he replied with a smile. “It’s alright, I don’t mind.”

 "Thank you, Ja’far-san.” Hakuryuu said as he bowed his head lightly.

 

Not long after, the three started discussing things, teaching each other and answering questions. Hakuryuu would occasionally ask his own questions before becoming quiet again and studying  on his own. He was quite an intellectual, given how easily he understood concepts far more complex than what teenagers his age could usually comprehend.

"Hakuryuu certainly is smart.” Ja’far said suddenly. They had just decided to break after a heavy topic concerning algorithms.

Hakuei, as much as she tried to suppress it, failed miserably in concealing her pride for her little brother and she beamed. Hakuryuu blushed a little bit at the compliment. 

 "Thank you, Ja’far-san."

"We suggested he skip a grade once, but he declined." Kouen stated and looked at Hakuryuu in a confused and questioning manner. Hakuryuu only shrugged in response before shifting his eyes away.

 A thought entered Ja’far’s mind. “Wait. Maybe not wanting to skip had something to do with a certain someone, hm?” It wasn’t hard to see that Ja’far hit the bull’s eye as Hakuryuu blushed much heavier than before, shaking his head quickly in denial. 

"Oh my god, does my baby brother have a crush on someone?" Hakuei asked in a surprised, albeit intrigued tone.

 This caused the poor boy's face to practically puff steam in embarrassment.

 

Ja’far laughed at the sophomore's discomfort while Kouen smirked on in amusement. Ja’far had a weak spot for young ones- they were just too much fun to tease.  

_But there was someone who was so much more fun to tease…_

 “ **Jafar-san…** ” someone sharply whispered, making the group jump lightly from their seats.

_Speak of the devil…_

“Ah…it was only you, Alibaba.” Ja’far replied, after recovering from the blonde's sudden appearance.  The freckled man was surprised to see Alibaba's blushing face and and averted eyes. Ja’far was confused- Alibaba had always been like that when he saw...  _Oh._

_._

_._

_._

_When he saw the scar-faced Ren._

 

"W-We need to g-go." Alibaba murmured shyly, obviously feeling awkward seeing Ja’far's company.

 

"Oh? Already?” The white-haired man could only smile at the blonde's reaction whenever he saw his crush. _Just like a teenaged girl after all,_ Ja’far thought as he sighed in amusement. “Fine, give me just a minute to arrange my things," he said closing his books and returning his pens and highlighters to his pencil case. 

 

Alibaba waited patiently, but noticed that Ja’far was moving slowerthan he usually did. Afraid, nervous, and conscious of the younger Ren's eyes on him, he refused to let himself look at anyone at the table.

 

Once Ja’far was done putting away his things and bid his farewells, Alibaba immediately dragged him out of the library at top speed. Eager to make his escape, he rushed and finally let go of Ja’far once they had safely retreated to the hallway.

 

"Ja’far-san...why didn't you tell me H-Hakuryuu would be there? I wouldn’t have fetched you." Alibaba pouted in petulant annoyance, at which Ja’far could only chuckle. 

 

"I didn't know he was coming. It was just a coincidence. Hakuei said his study partners ran away and he didn't have anything to do, so he decided to tag along and ended up studying with us." Ja’far explained.

 

The blonde stayed silent and sulked as they made their way to _that_ cafe. At least Alibaba wasn't as clingy as Sin was while sulking, and for that, Ja’far was grateful. He decided the silence wasn't really an uncomfortable one.

 

Turning at an alley, they continued walking in silence until they saw the door at the right wall. They breathed in synchronized resignation before muttering at the same time, 

 

" ** _Time to work._** "

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Daym. I think the Summary gave A TON of hints but I suck worse at summaries than grammar. Oh well, Thanks for reading? I'll try to update soon but next chappie would be so chunky, I doubt I'll finish in a short time.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: We don't own Magi: The Labyrinth/Kingdom of Magic. It belongs to the almighty Ohtaka Shinobu-san
> 
> BTW, We'd like to bear hug CLAIRE, our editor, for giving her precious time just for this fic eventhough she's busy. /gives you a jar of cookies/ THANK YOU SO SO MUCH!

 

* * *

 

 

 

Sinbad has never been this scared in his life. 

 

Well, aside from that one time he accidentally spilled juice on Ja’far's homework when they were kids…The memory brings shivers up his spine to this day. Sinbad was left strung up on the _edge of the roof of the front building, left exposed for the whole student body to see._

  _Seriously, how the heck did Ja’far do that when he was so tiny compared to me? And he was such a cute kid, too,_ he quietly wondered to himself as he tried his best to move subtly from bush to bush, frantically looking for a suitable hiding place.

 

" **OIIIIII! SINBAD, GET THE HELL OUT AND FACE ME!** " The loud voice of Kougyoku Ren boomed from afar as she stormed past the students walking in the gardens, her head shifting from left to right at a furious pace as she scanned the area for a glimpse of purple.

 

Hearing her taunts, Sinbad cringed.  _Like hell I will,_ he thought to himself. _I actually love and value my life, thank you very much._

 

Sure, Sinbad would admit that the reason he was currently pressed against a thorny bush was _partially_ his fault. He ended up in this scary situation after giving the new girl he saw in the library a tour around campus to help her-

Okay, scratch that. To help her, _but also_ to learn her name, number, and, you know, _flirt with her._ Honestly, it had started out as casual flirting, but Sinbad couldn’t help it! His charm was uncontainable and before he knew it, they were making out in an empty hallway (or so they thought). Suddenly, the previously clear hallway was filled with a murderous aura emitted by a furious magenta-haired Ren coming into view.

 

Obviously, the following events involved Sinbad being chased and running for his life. But who could blame him for hiding? If the rumors were true…

He gulped nervously. _Yep, I really have to hide._ Unfortunately, the bushes were getting itchy and he could only curse quietly as he tried to scratch his arm while remaining as still as possible.

_Sadly, subtlety was never Sinbad’s strong point._

"AHA! There you are!" Kougyoku’s voice practically shook the ground as she dashed towards the rustling bushes.  

 

Sinbad immediately stood, knowing his cover was blown, and dashed off another direction opposite Kougyoku.  The chase resumed and both teens ran past (or more like shoved through) several alarmed groups of students.

 

Sinbad successfully fled the high school’s main building, but Kougyoku was hot on his trail. Thank heavens classes had just ended and the front gate was opening, which meant that Sinbad had a much larger field to run in and many more possibilities for hiding places. His dashes grew quicker at the thought and he was able to advance a couple meters from the menace who followed him.

Although he had briefly experienced some relief, his panic was renewed as he heard the angry footsteps of Ren still tailing him, not much further behind. _And damn, was she was getting even faster?!_

_She's really determined to kill me, huh?_

Terrified, Sinbad kept running despite the desperate protests of his now sore and abused legs and his screams of his lungs to stop. He looked back to see if she was still behind him, but he quickly regretted it. His face paled seeing the nearby men on the ground who had obviously been in Kougyoku’s way and paid the price. Sinbad had never heard such a long string of curse words from a woman in his life.

A sigh of relief escaped him despite his wheezing as he skidded to a stop. He was greeted by the sight of people flocking to an unfamiliar plaza. Looking around anxiously, he realized he had ended up in a place he had never been to before.

 _I ended all the way up in the next neighborhood over? No wonder my legs feel like Jell-O._ He bent over to rest his palms on his knees as he panted.

 

" **SINBAAAAAAD!!!** " 

 

Aaand there was the sound heralding his demise. Sinbad took one last exhausted breath before straightening himself and darting towards the unfamiliar plaza. He rushed into the first store he spotted without hesitating. 

" _Welcome, Master!_ " Greeted by a familiar voice and the sound of bells hanging on the door, he immediately turned his head to see the source. “Wait…”

.

.

.

" _Yamuraiha?_ "

 

The teal haired waitress stared back in similar surprise. "Sinbad?"

 “What are you doing here? And dressed like a… _maid?”_   He asked in bewilderment as he gestured towards her uniform, which consisted of a ridiculously ruffled square necked black dress with overly puffy sleeves. The skirt reached the middle of her thighs, which were wrapped in white stockings. The bodice was decorated with many white ribbons that intersected in the fashion of a corset, and several shiny buttons. There was a white apron (also ruffled) tied around her waist, and shiny black heeled mary janes on her feet. Topping it off were buttoned shirt cuffs on her wrists and a frilly choker on her neck.

 

Yamuraiha answered with a shrug, "I work here, obviously." She stared back at him again questioningly, "And what about you?  _What are_ _you_ _doing here?_ _"_

 

"Long story short, Kougyoku caught me-“ He briefly hesitated. “…Flirting with someone and is now furiously chasing me.” He replied shamelessly with a smile. His eyes moved on from her to take in the inner details what appeared to be a café- no, a  _maid_  cafe, to be exact. _So_ that _explains why Yam is dressed like that…_ He thought to himself 

He saw waitresses serving customers and referring to them as “ _master_ _”_. How _quaint._

 "Geeze...You're the worst." Yamuraiha muttered while shaking her head in disapproval. “Seriously, couldn’t you keep a girl for more than oh, let’s say, _one_ month?! Just once?”

 

The purple haired boy just waved her off. “The whole world would be disappointed if this fine specimen of a man was unavailable for a whole month. I’m a first class singularity! Two weeks is difficult enough!”

"Stupid womanizer...You think you can run away forever? What do you think will happen tomorrow? Even if you're able to hide now, you won't be able to avoid her for the rest of your life!" 

 

Sinbad chuckled. "Calm down, okay?” He held up his hands in a gesture of surrender and rolled his eyes. “Fine. I'll talk to her when she cools down."  _Hopefully soon. “_ _You know, you sound a lot like Ja’far right now. I could totally hear those same words coming from him._ _"_

 

Yamuraiha paled at the mention of the freckled man, and her eyes dilated just the slightest bit. "O-Oh. Right! Just like Ja’far. Haha. A-anyways um...I think you should go, Sinbad. The cafe is uh, q-quite full today so I think you won't be able to find a seat. "

 

"But I see some empty tables right now!" Sinbad whined, then suddenly detected Yamuraiha's sudden nervousness and raised one of his brows in question. "Is something wrong, Yamuraiha?"

 

Her hands waved frantically in front of her while her cheeks redden in embarrassment, "N-NO! Of course not! I'm just..um…haha..."

 

Sinbad was quiet for a minute, observing his friend and trying to discern the fear in her expression and the cause of her stress. He suddenly gasped at her when he realized.

 

Yamuraiha stared back in horror. _Don't tell me he already figured it out..._

 

"Yamuraiha, I know that it's prohibited in our school to have part time jobs but I won't tell a single soul about it. What are friends for, right?" He smiled reassuringly.

 

A sigh of relief escaped Yamuraiha's lips and she thought _‘So he doesn't know about _ **that**_...'_

 

"So can I come in?"

 

She bit her lips in contemplation, hesitantly nodding her head, "Y-Yeah. Uhm...W-Welcome, Master. Please let me g-guide you t-to a seat." 

 

And so, his friend led him inside. He trailed behind while taking note of some  _cute_  maids. He sat at Yamuraiha's gestured empty table and was handed the menu. 

 

"What can I get for you, master?"

 

Sinbad pointed at picture of Omurice displayed on the menu, "I guess I'll have this."

 

"Alright, one Omurice special. What about drinks?" She jotted down his order nervously on a small yellow notebook (and chanted a prayer internally).

 

"I'll have the Blue Iced Tea."

 

She nodded after finishing writing his orders before bowing, "Your order will be served shortly, master."

 

He hummed quietly after his friend left him alone. He looked shortly outside and was relieved not to see any glimpse of Kougyoku outside. He then took in the sight of the cafe. It was not bad; it was actually refreshing to be here. Cute maids, little noise and a relaxing ambiance brought by the soft music playing inside. It was far different from the hangout places he usually frequented, which were characterized by loud music and too much activity. He smiled at the change of environment and drummed his fingers while waiting for his order. 

 

"Sinbad?" 

 

He turned at the source of the call, "Pisti? You work here too?"

 

The blonde nodded but still surprised, "So Yamu wasn't kidding when she said you're here."

 

"Don't worry, I won't tell." He assured, his hand going to his chest as a gesture of swearing.

 

The little girl only dismissed it and smiled, "Yeah, yeah. I know. Yamu told me already about that." 

 

Sinbad chuckled, "So why are you two working here? Last time I checked you two weren't exactly  _that_  poor." 

 

She shrugged, "The owner of this cafe has a brother who's a close friend of mom. Said she needs more hands so me and Yamu decided to help. We want to earn more aside from the money we win in band competitions. " 

 

"I see. So that's why you two always rush out after band practice. Who else works here aside from you two?" He asked thinking that perhaps he has more friends who work here. 

 

"Who else? Hm..." The blonde seemed to think a little bit, "Masrur's cousin works here too. You know who she is, her name's Morgiana....Oh! And Ja-"

 

" **JAAAANNNEEE! TABLE NO. 11'S ORDER!!** " Someone shouted near the counter where a tray was present, interrupting the little girl. 

 

As if realizing what she was about to reveal, the blonde slapped her hand on her mouth to shut up. Sinbad only raised a brow in question at the girl's sudden odd action but before he could ask what was wrong with his friend, he was distracted by a glimpse of white.

 

He paused as a thought occurred to him, ' _Wait. White hair?_ '  His eyes followed the figure approaching the counter with her back facing him. He watched as the white haired waitress lifted the tray on one hand with practiced ease and walked off to a table.

 

 _Was that..._ The figure was about to turn around when the menu suddenly appeared in front of his line of vision

 

"SINBAD! T-Try t-this o-one! It's one of our specials!" Pisti hurriedly pointed at the picture of parfait on the menu, her finger shaking a little bit as her voice quivered with nervousness. 

 

Sinbad ignored the small girl and stood up to see the intriguing maid.  He searched again and spotted her serving a customer five tables away from his,  _her_ back yet again present to his eyes. He waited patiently for her to turn around, all the while paying no mind to his blonde friend who was now frantically trying to cover his eyes with her hands. And finally...finally, the  _girl_ turned around.

 

His jaw dropped when he saw  _her_ face...

.

.

_Ja’far..._

_._

_._

_._

_A long haired Ja’far in a maid costume..._

_._

_._

_._

_and he looked so fucking hot in it._

 

The purple haired man slumped in his chair unceremoniously, his jaw still hanging and his stare dumbfounded. No matter how he looked at it, the waitress looked EXACTLY like his MALE best friend. "Why is Ja’far working here?..." He asked, still astounded by the revelation. 

 

"J-J-Ja’far? N-no! Ja’far doesn't w-w-work here! Haha. What are you t-talking about?"

 

"Pisti..." Sinbad stared at her accusingly. "Is this why you and Yamuraiha seem nervous? Pisti! You know what I'm talking about!"

 

"Sinbad, t-that's not Ja’far. She's...uh...Ja’far's cousin! Yeah, Ja’far's cousin. Definitely." The little girl tried to act nonchalant by giving Sinbad a cheeky smile but it resembled a grimace instead,  the way her brows were furrowed and her smile didn't meet her eyes. 

 

He smirked, "Ja’far has no family relatives." He countered back and felt some satisfaction at seeing his friend flinch.  _“Lies.”_

 

Yet the blonde stubbornly denied it. "Ja’far does have relatives! M-maybe he didn't tell you about her yet!

 

Sinbad pouted childishly, his brows meeting in confusion, "That's impossible. Ja’far would never hide something like this from me. It's impossible that she’s Ja’far's cousin."

 

"Why won't you believe me? There's no way Ja’far would have...." A pause.

.

.

.

"Those boobs! Yeah. We both know Ja’far is **biologically a **male****." Pisti reasoned out and grinned at seeing Sinbad's eyes flicker a little bit:  _A sign of uncertainty_. 

 

 

His mind agreed and he looked back at the mysterious maid. The lumps on their chest were certainly breasts,  _and they weren’t that small either._  He had always thought Ja’far was  _way too cute_  for a guy. Given his alluring pale complexion, adorable set of freckles, charming eyes, and petite frame, Sinbad would be convinced easily that Ja’far was actually a female if it weren’t for his  _flat chest._ Besides, he and Ja’far took a bath together when they were kids and he was sure that Ja’far had had the _same things_ he did.  It’s not that he _intentionally_ (Okay, there was this one time that he did) peeks _there_ but there are some instances that you just can’t…avoid.

 

His eyes trailed down the waitress's legs.

 

 _Damn. Had Ja’far always had those legs?  I knew he'd always had a small waist because I glomp him so often, but come to think of it, I'd never seen his legs before. The last time I did was back when we were both nine...I should've paid more attention to his legs. He has nice legs. Yup…lovely ones._ ' His trail of thoughts were becoming more and more...twisted until he unconsciously felt something drip on his nose.  _Snot?_

 

"Um...Your nose...is bleeding." Pisti pointed at his nose while her grin stretched wider in amusement and triumph, "See? She's not Ja’far!"  

 

 _Damn. Ja’far is seriously hot in that costume._ Sinbad immediately pinched his nose and tilted up his head in embarrassment, but Pisti's point still stood. He thought hard in silence about how Ja’far could grow breasts. It suddenly reminded him of one of his dates before who turned out to be a boy. He was shocked when he learned because the boy's disguise had been so professional. That was, before he discovered how hard the breasts were anyways.

 

Wait...If he remembered correctly, the breasts were....

 

Sinbad looked at Pisti for a minute before smirking, "I think I've already figured it out." 

 

He saw the small twitch of Pisti's brow but her smile still present.

 

"Those are not  _boobs_. They’re just  _rolled cloth in a bra!_ " 

 

The blonde fervently shook her head in denial, "You're wrong! Those are boobs!" She exclaimed, catching a little bit of attention than necessary. 

 

Sinbad stood up and strode determinedly towards the white haired waitress who was now serving another table. His friend paled when she realized what Sinbad was going to do. Running after him, she tried to desperately stop Sinbad from getting near  _her_. Of course, her attempts were futile due to the big difference between their height and strengths. It was not long before he was near the white haired waitress, grabbing her by the wrist and turned her around. 

 

He was met by the same freckles he always counted absentmindedly. The same eyes he has known since his childhood.  And despite the mascara slathered on those eyes, he could never mistake them for someone else's. He saw the light of recognition with a twinge of fear and anxiety pass in her eyes before it immediately disappeared, masked by a look of indifference.

 

"Ja’far?" 

 

He was met by silence and then a tilted head. "P-Pardon?" Sinbad did not miss the slight panic in  _her_ voice. 

 

"Ja’far, stop this already." Sinbad's voice was piercing with command.

 

Almost all customers halted their own conversations in favor of the unfolding scene that was happening between the waitress and the man. It was not an everyday occurrence that a customer would complain in public-and so loudly at that- about the cafe's services, so it greatly piqued their interest and curiosity.

 

The white haired maid seemed to notice this immediately, her cheeks flushing in embarrassment at the excessive attention, "W-who are you?"

 

"S-see? He--er--She doesn't know who you are!" Pisti tugged at Sinbad and looked around, her eyes glinting with apology and dread at what was about to happen.  

 

Though, of course, Sinbad easily ignored her and didn't mind the curious onlookers. Instead, he frowned at the maid in front of him, "Ja’far, don't you trust me at all?"

 

"S-sorry, sir, but you must have mistaken me from someone else." She hastily replied while trying to remove Sinbad's grip on her wrist. 

 

"Y-You're Ja’far's cousin right,  ** _Jane?_** " the blonde asked at her, looking at her …apologetically?

 

‘Jane’ glared at her before becoming silent again. It took her a moment before turning to Sinbad, "T-That's right. I do have a cousin named...Ja’far." 

 

Sinbad narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "We both know that Ja’far doesn't really have any relatives now, don't we?" 

 

‘Jane’ glared back at him, "He does and that includes me. Now let go if you don't want me to rip your hand off from your arm," she threatened as she grabbed hold of Sin's other arm, grip tightening slightly to prove her point.

 

"And your tempers are so similar."

 

"Then maybe it runs in the blood! Honestly, don't you know that my cousin is a  _guy?_ " Her hold tightened more causing Sinbad to wince but, nonetheless, did not let go. 

 

"Then you're not a guy."

 

"I'm a...g-g-girl! Are you blind?!" The humiliation and embarrassment he heard on her voice disappeared immediately with annoyance and irritation but Sinbad did not miss it. It only fueled him on that he was right. This maid was  _Ja’far._

 

Sinbad, now determined to prove the waitress wrong, looked at her in contempt guilt, "I'm sorry, Ja’far." 

 

It was late when he realized what he has done. Really, he should've thought this through. He knew he’d be killed for this, but that thought quickly left his mind, forgotten due to his impulsiveness.  

Sinbad reached forward and groped her breastwithout thinking, expecting something hard. The same hardness he felt back then from that random boy's supposed breast.

 

 _Squish_  

.

.

.

  _Squish, squish._

 

Awkward silence reigned in the cafe for a minute. Everything became still at the sight. Everyone, even the maids and those who weren’t paying attention to them before, stopped after witnessing the scandalous act, all eyes resembling saucers.

 

 _They're soft_. His mind registered blankly after squeezing the breast lightly again as if the thought has not yet made its way to his common sense.

 

 _Wait...SOFT?_ It took him minutes before his eyes widen in horror and fear. **_Eh?_**

.

.

.

.

.

" _ **KYAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!**_ "

 

 

 And that, my friends, is how Sinbad,  _the_ _ladykiller of the Seven Seas Academy_ _,_ made his first impression on Ja’far's cousin. 

 

Let's just say that he woke up in the hospital after one week of being bedridden, his cheeks swelling and his bones broken- not by Kougyoku, but by a certain  _white haired waitress._  

 

* * *

 

**OMAKE:**

Ja’far thanked Elizabeth again for hauling Sinbad out after that… _revolting_ scene. (After he made sure that he slapped hard enough and broke enough bones that left Sinbad half dead) He immediately went in the kitchens and went straight the employees’ room to hide; he was too ashamed to face the other customers now that they witnessed _that._  

 

He went to his locker to get his clothes when that scene replayed in his mind. He remembered the _humiliation_ of being groped in public. _Oh God_ Ja’far groaned and covered his face with his palms, his cheeks haven’t ceased reddening, _My dignity…gone._ He banged his head on his locker with force and stayed that way for awhile. After minutes of taking deep breaths, he finally calmed down. Ja’far opened his locker, got his clothes and went to the changing room. He locked the door and started removing the…embarrassing uniform he’s wearing. He gingerly undressed until he was left with only his underwear and…bra.

 

He sighed before his arms went to his back, unclasping the lock of his bra before muttering a quietly.

 

 

“ _Thank God, for silicon pads_. ”

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry to keep you guys waiting. We hope that the chapter still maintained its hilarity(and yes, we are perfectly aware that our humor sucks). Was it weird and too fast paced? Frankly, We're not really sure that the chapter reached your expectations...so we'll try our best to reach that. Feel free to tell us what we have too improve. Criticisms are much appreciated. We could just hope that you liked it! :)
> 
> Okay, so the idea was from our uncle who often crossdress just for fun. There was this one time that he stole my(Rikka's) mom's bra and stuffed some clothes on it to have the illusion of breasts. XD And when my cousin(AlaMorAliHaku) groped them (to which our Uncle produced an unmanly shriek), they were hard. Hard as rocks compared to silicon pads. (Which one of our flat chested friends own). Silicon pads were soooo soft. Seriously. Hahaha XD


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! 
> 
> And sorry. SOOO SOORRYY. We know it's been like 6 months(?) since the last time we've updated and we're sooo sorrryyy! /cries/ Sorry for the slow progress, it's just that we've been through alot lately and it's not helping the school's being a sucker. It's only now that we're having our health break that we had the time to finish this /sighs/ We feel guilty for all of our faithful readers still out there, sorry for the long wait. We just hope we won't disappoint you with this chapter, we hope you'll like it! :)
> 
> It still wasn't proofread but we'll just edit the whole thing again after. Sorry for any grammatical errors.
> 
> Disclaimer: We don't own Magi: The Labyrinth/Kingdom of Magi. It belongs to the great troll and almighty Ohtaka Shinobu-san.

 

* * *

 

 

 

Kouen never thought he would be in the same situation like those guys in mangas.

 

(Not that he reads them…It’s just that  Kouha and Judal talks about them **A LOT** , okay?)

 

Where the heroine falls from the stairs and he, the hero, catches her before she falls. Kouen never _ever_ saw it coming and never _ever_ imagined that the said damsel in distress would be his study partner, **Ja’far**.  He already knows that Ja’far is quite impossible- _absolutely impossible-_ to distract so it was rare to see him do said action, to slip and fall face first into the floor if Kouen had been late in catching him, his arm going to Ja’far’s surprisingly thin waist at reflex so he won’t fall. Thankfully, the force of Ja’far’s fall was not enough to knock them both into the ground and spared them all _that drama_ if ever Ja’far ended up on top of him.

 

(Okaay…So Kouha and Judal always talk detail into detail when it comes to these… _cheesy scenarios_ on those blasted books so don’t blame him if he seems to **know** the drama of _Shoujo Mangas_.)

 

He could see Ja’far was still trying to recover as he lightly pushes himself off Kouen’s chest, “Thank you”  He muttered and looked at his savior before adding, “K-Kouen.”

 

Kouen nodded and looked at him questioningly, observing the white haired man before a thought occurred to him, “Wait. Why are you going downstairs without any assistance? You twisted your ankle earlier at Gym class, right?” _All the more peculiar that you of all people would twist your ankle._

 

Ja’far chuckled sheepishly, “Uhm…Sin has band practice so I…figured I had to go alone **.** ” He looked away in embarrassment.

 

_Such a gentleman,_ Kouen thought as he scrunched his eyebrows in disapproval, rolling his eyes in sarcasm. Not only did the bastard dated all of his sisters and broke their hearts with his infamous tactics, the damn guy apparently doesn’t have any concern to a friend who obviously _needs_ assistance.

 

_Honestly, why did he even let Ja’far walk?_

 

 

Ja’far who was observing him was able to tell what the red-head was thinking and laughed meekly before explaining, “Sin did offer to help me but I’m aware that the battle of the bands is near so I…insisted to go alone.” 

 

Kouen only looked at him in mock disbelief before sighing, “Did you really think that you could go down five floors of a building with a twisted ankle?”  _I thought you’re smarter than that._

 

Ja’far’s eyebrow twitch at irritation, feeling insulted at what Kouen was insinuating. He offered an annoyed smile instead, “Well, I’m already on my _third floor_. ”

 

“And almost kissed the floor if I hadn’t caught you in time.”

 

That certainly made the white haired man shut up and looked away inexasperation. Kouen smirked in triumph, “Still think the idea is logical?”

 

Ja’far glared but did not reply for a while, “Fine. It was foolish, okay? Now, I don’t want to bother you anymore so I’ll go. Thanks again, Kouen.” He averted his eyes into the flight of stairs, signaling that he’s done with the conversation.  He limped past Kouen and was about to start to step on the first stair when the red head stopped him, frowning at Ja’far’s dismissive attitude towards an important matter.

 

 “You’re not bothering me…”  He muttered his hand holding the freckled man’s wrist to prevent him from going, “I’ll help you downstairs after I return this book to the library.”

 

“N-No. It’s alright, Kouen. Thank you but I can take care of myself.” Ja’far tugged at Kouen’s grip but hisstruggle failed in releasing the latter’s insistent hold.

 

“It’ll be quick.” The look Kouen gave Ja’far told him that the former’s stubbornness would ignite an argument he’ll lose.

 

 It’s not that he doesn’t consider the possibility that he’ll win against Kouen but he knows that there are more cons than pros that will support him so he considers the offer for a moment.

 

  _I’m aware that I can’t burden Sin with this twisted ankle eventhough he was the cause of it in the first place-_ he rolled his eyes internally- _but even so…I…suppose I can let Kouen…he’s not really busy, right?_ Ja’far looked at Kouen in uncertainty, “If you’re busy you don’t have to.”

 

“I’m not. I’m just going to return this book.”  Kouen answered back but his voice was impatient.  He raised his other hand which was holding a history book.

 

Ja’far sighed in resignation,  “I suppose…I’ll drop by the library too.”

 

Kouen smirked, “Here, I’ll help you.” The hand which was on Ja’far’s wrist moved to his elbow, making him lean on Kouen and sharing his weight with the former slightly.  Ja’far mumbled a quiet ‘thank you’ before they proceeded to go the library in silence which was, luckily, on that floor.

 

The proximity gives Kouen a chance to take in the white-haired man’s features up close, the long lashes, the striking black eyes full of wisdom, the freckles, the pale white skin and the white hair that emits a fruity and relaxing scent. _How could Ja’far smell so…feminine?_  Yet the thought doesn’t sound…disturbing. In fact, if he could be honest, Ja’far has always emitted the mother-hen kind of aura that’s why he’s not really surprised. Mature and firm yet witty and gentle that you could almost believe he’s an angel. Well, _except_ when he’s around Sinbad.

 

Kouen always sees how Ja’far nags at the purple head like a wife would to a.. _Husband_. People on campus always thought that the pair resembles an old married couple with the way they act. The banter, the teasing that results with Sinbad going straight to the infirmary yet Ja’far never cease to check up on him and worry. Kouen sees them all whenever he coincidentally pass by a secluded area where they would share…intimate moments, the times where Sinbad lean his head on Ja’far’s shoulder, the faint smile on Ja’far’s lips when Sinbad said a particularly _bad_ pickup line or joke.

 

It’s not that he likes Ja’far. He’s straight, mind you.

 

He’s just pointing out the sides of Ja’far which are, he admits, endearing. Frankly, the traits are what he’s looking for in a woman he hopes he’ll marry one day.  He’s a little bit jealous that Sinbad, who is the epitome of idiocy and annoying frivolousness, has someone who deeply cares and understands him like Ja’far.  Someone who will always put up with all your antics and accepts you, nonetheless.

 

“Kouen, um…we’re here.” Ja’far’s voice snapped him from his musings and he looked up to Ja’far who’s brows are furrowed in mild concern and confusion.

 

He moved his gaze from the freckled man to the sign hanging on the glass door. Sure enough, the sign says ‘ _Library_.’ Kouen pushed the door and helped Ja’far come in. He then led him to some sofa near the counter where magazines and newspapers were stacked neatly on the coffee table.  Ja’far sat on one of the unoccupied sofas and got some magazines to read as Kouen proceeded to stand on the line of the borrowers who are checking in the counter. 

 

And just as Kouen has predicted, it did not take long before the queue to shorten. The student, who, he presumes, is a member of the library committee stands at the counter and takes the book he borrowed, placing it on one of the shelves behind the counter. He gets Kouen’s Library Card on the drawer near the shelf and gave it to Kouen who in turn signed it, writing the date he has returned it before he gave it back to the student. He returned to Ja’far who seems engrossed in an article on the magazine he was reading.

 

“Ja’far, let’s go.” Kouen called, catching the said man’s attention.

 

Ja’far puts back the magazine on the coffee table before standing up. They did their earlier actions, Kouen’s hand holding Ja’far’s elbow, Ja’far leaning slightly on Kouen and went out of the library.

 

“If you need a ride home, I could give you one.” They gingerly descended down the stairs when Kouen offers, Ja’far shakes his head.

 

“No. Kouen, this is enough already. Thank you but I still have to go somewhere before I go home anyway and I don’t want to bother you more than I already did.”

 

“And where is that?” Kouen asked curiously, realizing suddenly that he knows _so_ _little_ about Ja’far.  He pictured Ja’far as someone who immediately goes home and study and do _normal_ things so it’s really surprising to know that the white haired man also detours and felt the sudden urge to discover what places Ja’far usually visits.

 

“I’ll visit the orphanage.”

 

“ _Orphanage?_ ” He doesn’t mean to sound so shocked but he does anyway. At least, he didn’t sound rude enough to convey disbelief. Just a bit surprised to sound intrigued and interested.

 

“Um…I just babysit there sometimes when they’re short on staffs.” Ja’far briefly explains before an abrupt realization hits him: _part time jobs are prohibited in their school._ He tenses and regrets immediately what he blurted out. He starts to racks his brain for any plausible excuse to dodge any possible--

 

Kouen knew why the freckled man turned stiff quickly so he nonchalantly shrugs, “I’m not really a tattletale unless if the need arises.”

 

That didn’t cease the fidgets of Ja’far, though. He looked at Kouen guiltily before chuckling awkwardly, “I just feel like I have a responsibility there.” He reasoned out as they walk the almost empty hallways.

 

Kouen quirked one eyebrow at that, “A responsibility?”

 

“I’m an…orphan. That’s where I came from.”

.

.

.

_Oh._

Coughing slightly in embarrassment and perhaps guilt at asking something personal, Kouen looked away from the freckled man beside him, “I-I see.” To think someone like Ja’far was an orphan. But then again, he knows almost next to nothing when it comes to Ja’far.

 

“When were you adopted?” Really, he should’ve been content with knowing the first piece of personal information but Kouen is a curious man and his thirst for answers should always be quenched.

 

(And perhaps, deep inside, he also wants to talk more to Ja’far, seeing as they are already nearing the gates. )

 

“When I was 15. ” answered Ja’far, unaffected at the topic.

 

_Good. It seems it’s not a sensitive topic_ , Kouen thought and decided to pry a _little bit_ more, “Living with..your adoptive parents?”

 

Finally noticing that the red head seems to be quite interested in this topic, Ja’far stayed a bit quiet and looked at Kouen. His eyebrow raised in question, failing to understand Kouen’s sudden fascination about his life. In truth, he felt uncomfortable sharing his personal life but not to that point where it’s supposed to be a secret to be kept from a friend. He didn’t exactly have the _exciting_ and _adventurous_ kind of life that others have. No, _adventurous_ and _excitement_ are reserved for people like Sinbad, not his cup of tea at all.  He has the most unusual life, yes,-let’s not talk about his _job,_ please- but he has the most _boring_ life.

 

“N-No. Not really.”

 

_That took longer...Maybe that was way too personal._ “Then I’ll just give you a ride there?” Kouen asked to change the subject. He doesn’t want to sound so fascinated to Ja’far but he knows it’s now too late so he opted to offer a ride to that orphanage instead.

 

 

_Not this again._ Ja’far exhaled in frustration, “Kouen. It’s okay, really. I’ll be fine.”

 

Now there’s a reason why the debate team wanted to recruit Kouen on their club, seeing his vast amount of potential, and it would be a waste not to use it to his advantage now, isn’t it? 

 

“Do you really think that you can go to the orphanage on bus with a _twisted ankle_? Walk all the way to the bus stop, use the bus as transportation where there’s a big possibility that you’ll stand the whole way it travel to that orphanage with a _twisted ankle_ and not to mention, Buses are not exactly favorable when it comes to pleasant traveling.”

 

Ja’far could only curse the gods above for blessing Kouen such intellect. Damn him for having flawless reasoning. He has always known Kouen’s extraordinary sense of understanding is a blessing and a curse. The latter proving itself as a fact now that he is going to argue with the red-head again.

 

Ja’far nodded in surrender before muttering, ‘Fine.’ The cognition that Ja’far acquired from being Kouen’s study partner for quite a while is already enough to draw the conclusion of the argument. He knows it won’t end in his favor anyway so better save up his energy and accept the kind offer on the table.

 

They both arrived at Kouen’s car not long after and got in the car, Kouen assisting the freckled man inside before settling himself on the driver’s seat. Ja’far can admit that he actually blushed a little at the whole ordeal. He felt like a girl but he just dismissed it, seeing as he’s a little bit injured at the moment. 

 

They engaged in a light conversation throughout the ride, Ja’far telling the directions all the while and arrived later on the front gate of the orphanage.

 

“Thanks a lot, Kouen. ” Ja’far said sincerely as he unbuckled his seatbelt, “Would you like to come inside and have a cup of tea for a bit? ” Ja’far was ashamed at all the trouble he caused; surely giving Kouen a little bit to eat would be nice, right?

 

The said man thought for a bit before shrugging, “Sure. I don’t mind.” He answered and unbuckled his seatbelt.

 

Another humiliating moment of being assisted later, they both entered the orphanage and greeted by a woman on the counter on her mid-30’s. She was tall and has a strong build, her long curly blue hair cascading down her back, her kind amber eyes looking at both of the newly entered men warmly.

 

“Ja’far. It’s been a while since I last saw you.” She stood up from her stool on the counter before approaching them, embracing Ja’far.

 

“Yeah. It’s truly been a while since my last visit, Rurumu-san.”  Replied Ja’far while embracing back the woman.

 

“They were excited when they heard you’ll visit. Zepa and Calor were restless.” Rurumu said and laughed lightly before turning to red head beside Ja’far.

 

Lest to say, her questioning silence was enough for Kouen to serve as a cue for his introduction and offered his hand, “I’m Ren Kouen. It’s nice to meet you… _Rurumu-san?_ ”

 

Rurumu smiled at Kouen’s politeness, “Ah, yes. It’s nice to meet you too, Ren-san. I run this orphanage together with my own children.”

 

The woman’s hand was bigger than his and almost covered his entire palm that it looks almost comical but Kouen knows that will look rude on his part so he has decided to ignore it.

 

 After the (quite hard) handshake with Rurumu, she turned again to Ja’far, “So where is Sin?”

 

Somehow, the question irritates Kouen though he doesn’t know _why._ Ja’far shrugs sheepishly.

 

“He can’t go. Has band practice and Battle of the Bands near.” The explanation was brief but Rurumu understood it and nodded. Ja’far told her about his ankle and an also brief explanation of Kouen helping him.

 

“Ah, I see.” Rurumu said in understanding and once again smiled at Kouen kindly, “It’s so nice of you to take care of my dearest Ja’far here. Thank you…If you want, I’ll go prepare some tea and snacks for you while Ja’far introduces you to the children?”

 

“Of course. Sounds good, thank you.”

 

And so, Rurumu left Ja’far and Kouen by themselves-but not before she called Kikiriku to take charge of the counter while she prepares tea- that they went to inside the orphanage rooms.  Many children were playing, some reading, others talking loudly and others bickering but almost everyone turned their heads to the newcomers before they all brightened and squealed at seeing their favorite babysitter.

 

“JAAA’FFAAARRR!” All of their voices were in synchronized excitement as they abandoned whatever they were doing in favor of hugging(or glomping) the freckled man.

 

It was apparent that the children here _adored_ Ja’far as they started mobbing around him, hugging his legs and tugging at his clothes. The white haired man was having quite a struggle in entertaining the vast amount of energy the children were emitting but it warmed his heart to be welcomed so affectionately by children. Kouen, who was now shoved to the side(Don’t ask him how he was shoved to the side by _children_ ), looked at the endearing scene. 

 

Ja’far cleared his throat loudly, effectively quieting the young ones(even Kouen admits he’s impressed at the freckled man’s hold on them), “So…I brought along my friend here. ” He gestured at Kouen, “His name is Kouen. You should call him Big Brother Kouen. ”

 

The children who were so busy at Ja’far finally noticed the goateed man. All of them were quietly scrutinizing the man before them before they started hiding behind the white haired man’s legs.

 

“WAAAH! SCARRRYY!”  “He looks mean!” “He’ll eat us!”“Uwaaah! ” A cacophony of wails and cries resounded throughout the room. Ja’far  blushes in embarrassment while Kouen’s brow twitched in annoyance and being _insulted._

 

Ja’far immediately pacified them while stammering, “ H-Hush! Kouen is my friend, it’s not nice to say that to my friend. S-Say sorry right now to him.” And to emphasize his point, Ja’far  tried to look stern by putting his arms over each other,  his brows drawn together.

 

The kids all looked at him in confusion and perhaps in guilt before hanging their heads, looking truly sorry before they all turned to the red head and apologized shyly. The atmosphere almost turned awkward with how Kouen doesn’t have the slightest idea how to react. He resorted to as sigh instead and a dismissive wave of hand.

 

The cute 7 year old Zepar quickly cheered cautiously to remove the tension, “I-I know! W-Why don’t we play with…uh…B-Big Brother Kouen?”

 

The idea of having a new playmate revived the dampened spirits of the children. They started yelling their agreements and before they knew it, the two men were led to the playground, the children busy with arguing what to play.

 

“HOPSCOTCH!” “NO! JUMP ROPE!” “EHH? NO! HIDE AND SEEK!”

 

Ja’far only chuckled fondly at the bickering children, “I’m sorry about their…eagerness.” He whispered to Kouen who in turn shook his head.

 

“It’s actually endearing to see how normal children play.” He muttered and shrugged.

 

“Kouen…” Ja’far looked at him in surprise. _It must have been lonely…_

 

“I know! Let’s play tag!”

That ceased the noise finally and of course; the children erupted into cheers of approval, “Yeah! Okay! Who’s the ‘it’ then?”

 

 It had taken the children some minutes to compromise their own choice of game because of Ja’far’s unfortunate circumstances. They all agreed that the ‘it’ will immediately tag the white haired man so as for him to be able to rest and participate somehow.

 

It was awkward for Kouen to play with people 3 times smaller than his own size but he tries, anyway. It did not take him much time for the children to warm up to him and before they knew it, the children treated him as their commander.  It amused Ja’far greatly seeing Kouen, trying and failing to fight of the smirk of excitement showing on his features as the game progresses.  

 

Ja’far could only sigh in contentment at the distant laugh of children from where he sat on the ground. He stared at the sky, noting the good weather and admiring the fluffy white clouds decorating the azure. The scent of flowers filling his nostrils as he inhales, he closes his eyes.

 

“ _Are you still alive there?_ ”

 

The white haired jumps a bit at the voice of the red-head who was squatting beside him. And was surprised at the small distance between them before the taller of the two stood up.

 

“Regrettably, I had to wake you up from your daydreaming.” Kouen smirks and offers out his hand.

 

Ja’far sighs in a sarcastic way but accepts Kouen’s hand to stand up because, _hey_ , he was kinda handicapped at the moment. As he stood up carefully, he dusted off his jeans of any dirt before turning back to the man in front of him.

 

“Is the game already done--”  “ **BIIIG BROTHER JAA’FAARR! I LOOOSSSTT!!** ”

 

Before Ja’far could even finish asking, a surge of energy tackled him from behind. Ja’far stumbles forward upon the unexpected feat, his sprained foot not helping in maintaining his balance, and prompted him to hold unto Kouen. Zepar’s  arms clamped on the white haired man’s stomach tightly as he wails,  effectively cutting off Ja’far’s supply of oxygen.

 

Well, that was _one_ of the reasons why he couldn’t breathe.

 

 The other one, however, is much more dangerous considering it’s making Ja’far’s brain to shut-down at the moment and have a fuse. After all, who wouldn’t? When it involves _direct eye contact, close proximity, shared breathes and…_

_._

_._

_._

****

**_A kiss from THE. FUCKING. KOUEN. REN._ **

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So how was it? Yup, cliche scenario + Enja flavor for a twist ;) and Yeah...the djiins are the children in the orphanage because we can't think of anyone who can be children. Hahahaha Anyways, again-We hope you like it. Let's just hope we'll finish Chapter 4 before our health break ends. 
> 
>  
> 
> (And yes, Kouen might have the guilty pleasure of reading Shoujo manga. /wink wink/)


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Helloo!
> 
> AND I'M SO SORRYYYYYYYYY. 
> 
> I know. It's been two YEARS since I have last updated this fic and I sincerely apologize to all of my faithful readers who has been waiting for this update for centuries now. /sighs/
> 
> The past year has been rough for me. A lot of shit happened and I just wasn't--just can't write anything. It doesn't help that school has been shitty and I had a hard time adjusting. I hope you guys understand. 
> 
> Anyway, I just also hope you'll like this chapter as well.  
> It still wasn't proofread but I'll just edit the whole thing again after. Sorry for any grammatical errors.
> 
> -RikkaTsukiakari
> 
> Disclaimer: We don't own Magi: The Labyrinth/Kingdom of Magi. It belongs to the great troll and almighty Ohtaka Shinobu-san.

 

* * *

 

Sharrkan was utterly pissed.

  
   
  
It was Friday and he was supposed to be with Sinbad right now, chilling and perhaps hooking up with a cute girl he’ll fancy at the nightclub where they usually hangout since it’s _Friday_. But here he was, cleaning with this frustrating _woman_ in the music room.  
 

  
So what happened? Well, let’s just say that their bickering went too far this time that it caused even the passive and optimistic Sinbad to have a headache–which is a feat in itself since Sinbad usually sees these arguments ‘ _a sign of their_ _strong friendship’_.

 

 _'Why the fuck was Sinbad in a sour mood anyway?'_  
 

  
And thus, this ended the unfortunate Sharrkan to this punishment.  
 

 

Meaning no women, no lively music, no beer and no dancing.

Only this fucking woman who he’s currently exchanging profanities with regarding what music is  
better.

 

 

_**In the dark.** _

 

 

Yes, you’ve read right.

 

Because as Sharrkan was about to barrage the teal head 101 arguments as to why Rock music is far greater than Classical crap, he was met with darkness that rendered him to halton what he's going to spout earlier.

 

With a sigh of resignation and a groan, Sharrkan focused on adjusting his eyes instead, "Blackout, huh?"

 

From where he was, he could practically _hear_ the teal head roll her eyes, "Obviously. Don't tell me you  
thought you suddenly became blind?...Pfft."

 

As much as he wants to just _rip_ _her_ _tongue_ _out_ , there were more important things to do at the moment.

 

"Save that irritating mouth of yours later, we have to check first if we can get out of the school or building  at all," He turned away from her, looking for the door. The light passing through the windows was dimmed and blurred by water.  It belatedly occurs to him that it was raining.

 

"Huh? Why?" Yamuraiha asked, her head tilted in question but nonetheless, followed Sharrkan who's now by the door but not before taking her backpack from its spot on the floor earlier, "What's wrong?"

 

Sharrkan sighed in relief as the knob twisted, "Our school's technology is pretty advanced. Most of the rooms can only be opened or closed by using a student's identification card. Once they touch the door frame, they pretty much lock automatically. There are still doors that don't though, " He opened the door and was greeted by a dark hallway, the pitter-patter of rain heavily resonating all throughout the floor and loudly thumping on the windows adjacent to the rooms,  "Luckily, ours was not locked automatically."

 

The fierce and ear-splitting roar of thunder signaled that it was not just _raining,_ there was a storm brewing outside. As Sharrkan stepped outside, retrieving his phone from his jean's pocket and using its flashlight feature, he looked at the whole corridor using the measly small beam of light from his phone. Unease and anxiousness making its way to his mind despite the tough exterior he was projecting,  "No one's here, huh? " Which was weird. _Isn't there supposed to be teachers patrolling around? Did they already leave?_

 

"Even if they did, isn't it too early?" Yamuraiha's voice broke him from his reverie, making him realize he might have said his thoughts out loud. He was surprised to see she was only beside him and was also looking at the dark corridor; her eyes squinted in an attempt to see clearer or see _someone._ Her remark was lacking the same sarcasm as her usual ones, replaced by confusion.

 

He nodded slowly, "Let's see if the building's entrance is close, let's just...clean the music room tomorrow...?"

 

For once the teal head nodded her head in agreement, "Okay. Let's just go home. The school's giving me the creeps." She gulped in dread when she heard dull and eerie but heavy footsteps from afar, her hand quickly finding its way to her companion's sleeve, "H-Hey, did you hear that?" 

 

Sharrkan was startled by the contact and was apparently distracted in scanning for any signs which  
way they must go, "Hear what?"

 

" _That._ "

 

Sharrkan waited for any sound but only the soft thumping of raindrops was all he heard, "I don't hear anything peculiar. What did you even hear? You're imagining things again." He asked in irritation and annoyance before flicking her forehead lightly in a teasing manner, "I think this should be the way to the building's exit." His hand pointed to their left and tugging her along a little forcefully.

 

Yamuraiha immediately interjected though letting herself get dragged (because as much as she hates to admit it, it's the opposite direction from the creepy footsteps she heard earlier.), "And what if you're wrong? I can't exactly trust your unreliable, dumb brain."

 

He glared icily at her, "Will you shut up? I've been studying here longer than you do, useless witch.  And by the way, where's your phone?" He was answered with a shrug and a barely audible mumble of 'run out of battery'.

 

True to his words, they arrived shortly at the building's exit which was cell doors with intricate floral motifs of roses and shrubs as bars.

 

"See? Told you." His tone was smug before giving his phone to the teal head behind him, "Here, hold this. I'll check if it will open."

 

Unfortunately, the door wouldn't budge no matter how he pulls the handle. His eyebrows scrunched in frustration before cursing under his breath and finally giving up after several minutes, "Just great. This damn door just had to be locked," He kicked in anger, rattling the bars noisily. Yamuraiha stared in sympathy at the poor door now currently being abused by an angry silver-haired man. 

 

"Will you stop that? Even if you did _break_ that, how will you pay it? I heard from Grandpa that came from France, you know. It’ll cost you a fortune just to repair that," Yamuraiha was never good at comforting people, let alone this _idiot_ with anger issues, but at least she has the brains to be the voice of reason to prevent any further damage of the school's property. 

 

This somehow calmed Sharrkan, seeing as his vicious kicks ceased. He sighed in defeat before  
looking back at the dark corridor again, "So what now?"

 

' _What now, indeed,_ ' Yamuraiha racked her brain for any ideas while glancing back at their initial path earlier, "There must be...an emergency exit, right?" She gazed at him questioningly only to be answered back by a puzzled stare.

 

 

"So what? Pretty sure that exit's locked too, considering this one's locked."

 

 She looked at him like he was the dumbest person on the planet, "Idiot, An _emergency exit_ shouldn't be locked at all cost. Why would they even lock the exit that should be opened when an emergency happens? Do you expect students to still fall in line and use their I.D.'s to pass through once danger happens?"

 

Sharrkan _may have_ blushed in embarrassment from that, ' _Damn, she has a good point at that one._ '

 

He looked away and scrunched his eyebrows, feigning exasperation, "Even if there's one, those exits are hidden so students won't sneak out." He smirked at that one, praising himself in thinking that idea, ' _Good job, brain._ '

 

But it appears that the teal head was the least bit impressed, raising an eyebrow in an unperturbed  
manner, "We were oriented on our first day about their locations throughout the school and that there are cameras near that monitors any students who try to sneak out using them. "

 

The smirk from Sharrkan's lips turned down from that in agitation, "Fine, fine. You win. I don't know where it is, okay? Are you happy now?" He snatched his phone back from her hand and pointed the small beam back into the darkness of the corridor, "And since your _oh-_ so- _smart_ ," he paused for a bit and dragged the vowels as a sarcastic effect before adding, "Care to tell me where the locations are?"

 

The white haired man was only answered with silence and a flushed Yamuraiha who suddenly became timid (much to his amusement) before she answered in an uncharacteristically small voice, "I...don't remember."

 

He closed his eyes, willing himself not to snap. He has to calm down; nothing will come out from  
arguing any further. Once again, they're back to square one. ' _Thank you, my finally-functioning-sensible-brain._ '  He sighed for the umpteenth time before repeating the same line, "What now?"

 

 

"What time is it?" Yamuraiha asked instead, an idea popping in her head as her eyes shined in determination, "And what time do teachers get out of campus?"

 

 

Sharrkan scanned at the time displayed on his phone, "3 PM and I think the teachers go home by 5 PM, " He glanced at her questioningly before the idea also clicked in his mind, "Wait. Are you saying...we go to the teacher's faculty?"

 

She nodded before her hand made its way to her chin in thought, "Since you said it yourself, I figured we can just ask the teachers where the exits are."

 

"What if it's locked?"

"Do we look like we have a choice?"

 

 _'Well...I guess that's actually...not bad.'_ Sharrkan thought when the sound of thunder boomed once again making both of them jump in surprise. He briefly forgot that there was a storm happening outside because they were way too preoccupied with the stupid gate.

 

"Let's go then. You're right, we have no other choice." he started walking with hurried but careful steps with Yamuraiha following quietly behind him, "The sooner we get out, the better."

 

 He was not scared, n-not at all! It's just the atmosphere inside was way too creepy. Given he has always been detained by detention because of his antics, he has never encountered this before: a blackout with a storm—a very violent one at that considering his eardrums are thrumming with how the soft pitter patters of raindrops became harsh slaps on the windows accompanied by the thunder—while they're trapped inside their school. Besides, who could blame him? He heard a lot of rumors about students who died here.  And wasn't this school formerly a hospital when the war happened? He shuddered in dread before shaking his head, trying to dismiss the thought as absurd, and tried to focus at the task at hand. 

 

 

' _Damn it, now's not the time to be sca--_ ' His thoughts were abruptly cut as Yamuraiha suddenly gripped the back of his shirt, causing him to halt and look back at her. He was met with terrified deep sea green eyes, "What?"

 

"T-there w-were ru-running footsteps j-j-just now a-a-and s-s-someone c-crying." She stuttered while nervously tugging at his shirt, her eyes moved from him towards the darkness they were shrouded in.

 

Sharrkan lifted the light from his phone towards the hall, finding nothing and no one at all. But he has to admit, he was getting a bit disturbed and jittery. ' _Shit. Don't tell me those rumors were fucking true?!_ '

 

He cleared his throat shakily, "Y-You're imagining t-things, " He cleared his throat again, not liking the way his voice falters, "Let's just go. We're almost there."

 

 

Yamuraiha gulped before slowly nodding her head, "O-okay," Her hands, which were gripping his shirt earlier, now settled loosely at the hem of his shirt. Her head hung low, her eyes cast down and _were those tears gathering at the corner of her eyes?_

 

And for the very _very_ first time, Sharrkan felt guilty ( **yes G-U-I-L-T-Y** ) for _her._ Can you believe this? Even he doesn't believe it either. He doesn't know if it's the way her whole frame shakes or the way her eyes are becoming glassy, clearly showing her fear. Most of the times that he’s there, her eyes are always glaring at him—angry at every action he does. Of course, this irritates him but it gives him satisfaction and amusement when she stares at him in defiance.  In all honesty, this is the first time he saw her like this and it greatly _…troubles_ him not seeing her usual feisty and sarcastic self.

 

 

He ruffled his white locks before exhaling, seeming to come to a conclusion. "Look…," He started quietly, trying to find the words to assure her, "Uh...," Great, and now's the time that his brain has decided to abandon him.  Damnit.

 

Yamuraiha's attention was piqued by the calm voice that her companion _never_ used to her. She was silent to urge him to continue, momentarily quelling her dread a bit.

 

"If it feels you any better..." He was struggling and uncertain, "You can--No, I can just…," **SHIT.** Heat was creeping up his cheeks, how is he gonna say it? He's so embarrassed right now with how he was fumbling his words. Where was his smooth talk when he needs it the most? He groaned in frustration before he suddenly held one of the teal-head's hands, startling her with how fast the movement was. The tanned man refused to look at her, facing only forward as he dragged her with him. He squeezed her hand gently albeit awkwardly.

 

To say that Yamuraiha was stunned was an understatement. She let herself be dragged, her mind asking alot of questions but can't voice them out with how bewildered she was. At this point, she has almost forgotten about the sound she heard earlier and was only now preoccupied with how warm and assuring Sharrkan's calloused hand was.

 

Wait... _warm and assuring?!_

 

The woman shook her head in dismissal, her cheeks getting flustered as well. ' _No. Just no. NO.NO._ '

 

"We're here." His voice woke her from her reverie. She looked at the door of the faculty, the beam of light helping them see the doorknob. Repeating their prior actions, the door this time, however, was opened without any difficulty, eliciting relieved sighs from both teenagers.  Their relief was cut short for the faculty room, which was their only hope, was eerily quiet. Not only was it quiet but also darker than their surroundings outside due to the fact the windows inside were closed.

 

"Uh..Hello?" Yamuraiha called softly, uncertain and anxious. She stepped inside, dragging the silverhead this time, before looking around. She spotted a dim orange-yellow glow at the far corner of the room, diagonally opposite from where they were and blocked by countless cubicles.

 

 

"There's someone right there," she tugged at Sharrkan's hand before pointing at the said light, "Let's go ask them, they might be clustered there."

 

Sharrkan only looked at her with an unreadable expression, "Wait, we have to do something," Their intertwined hands were disentangled before he went to the nearest cubicle and carried its chair.

 

"What are you doing?"

 

"The door might close and we'll end trapped in here," Sharrkan nonchalantly answered,  
opening the door to its fullest and using the chair to prevent it from closing.

 

Yamuraiha hissed, "But it's not locked! We can just open it again."

 

Sharrkan shook his head, "No. You don't understand _._ ”

 

 _Doesn't she watch horror movies?_  This scary atmosphere, in a secluded room where the only source of light is the strange orange-y glow far from them.  And the only thing missing from this scenario?  The door suddenly closing when they get in the middle of the room.

 

And so, Sharrkan has concluded that he could at least tried to prevent that one thing from happening  
because they'll be screwed and lose their shit.

 

 

Yamuraiha frowned, not understanding anything, "What is it that I don't understand?"

 

"Let's go," He nonchalantly entwined their hands again as if it was a normal occurrence to them and ignored her question, pulling her with him. This successfully shut the teal head and made her struggle to keep up with his long strides.

 

It was not long before they got nearer to the light after navigating through the cubicles. Fortunately, they saw two huge men with their backs facing the pair, talking in hushed tones. There was a cluster of candles on the table where they facing, arranged neatly and...oddly. This both caught the teens' attention before they looked at the men again.

 

Only they weren't men.

 

They were both huge but the other one...was a _lizard._ An overgrown lizard with a human body.

 

 

**FUCK.**

 

 

They both paled, suddenly forgetting how to breathe. Frozen and paralyzed with fear, Yamuraiha forgot about the phone she was holding, promptly dropping said gadget unceremoniously.

 

**_CLANK!_ **

 

They watched in horror as both men slowly turned their heads to them and Sharrkan... **Sharrkan was** **terrified.**

 

 If the other one was a reptile, the other one had frighteningly horrendous, macabre features, its eyes dancing in sickening glee, its mouth twisted in a malicious grin. ' _Those two long horns...'_

Only one word crossed their minds:

_'Demon’_

 

" **AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!** "

 

Their mortified scream echoed loudly inside the room. Everything was a blur. They didn't know what was happening but they had to _run—_ run as fast as they can away from those _monsters._ Sprinting, both teens were able to immediately exit the faculty and into the dark corridor. The vociferous lightning outside combined with the deafening howl of the wind brought further panic and dread into their systems.

 

 

They both skidded to a stop once they felt that they were safe. The teal-head doesn't see any signs of  
those...those creatures. She shuddered in thought before sighing in relief and whispering, "I-I-I think w-we're s-s-safe now," Her companion nodded while panting, catching his breath while hunched back, resting one palm on his knee.

 

 

He exhaled, "But damn, w-we forgot...my phone, I can't see anything clearly and I don't have any  
idea where the hell-- "

 

**_Sniff_ **

 

Their necks almost snapped at how fast they turned to the soft sound just right across from them. They could only make a small silhouette of a sobbing child, its face concealed by her hands. Every adenoidal cry was hauntingly similar to the initial cry Yamuraiha heard earlier, sending chills up their spines. The child was wearing a white thin dress up to her knees but the peculiar thing was that some parts of the dress...have darker shades. Her hair was also dark from what they could make out—seeing they don't have any flashlight to help them see clearly—and soaked. Some kind of black liquid was pooling around her bare feet and that the same liquid was dripping from the hem of her dress.

 

 

Both teens found their breaths knocked out of them all of a sudden, ' _What the hell was_ _that?_ '

 

As if sensing their thoughts, the little girl stopped sobbing. Slowly facing them, it was then that the lightning suddenly flashes. And they could've sworn that their hearts stopped beating at that moment, that brief light was enough to make the little girl clear to their eyes. All those dark spots on her dress, her hair and the liquid were all the same color: **RED.** The little girl was covered and soaked in one thing as the thunder echoed and shook the building with its deafening roar:

' _Blood._ '

 

" **AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!** "

 

Yamuraiha never pegged herself as the athlete type but hell, her adrenaline practically made her fly.  
She doesn't care that she almost ripped Sharrkan's arm from his body, they have to get out here fast. Twisting and turning, the teal head girl could only bolt blindly towards any hall she deems safe before she slipped and, combined with the added weight of Sharrkan, further pushed her together with gravity's effort to kiss the floor. She groaned and touched her nose, which was the first part of her face to collide with the floor.

 

"Can't you at least try to prevent the fa--Eh?"

 

 It was then that she realized that Sharrkan has already passed out and was now sprawled unresponsive beside her. "You can't be serious...," She muttered in disbelief as she sat properly and inspected if he was putting on a show.

 

"Oi, Idiot..."

 

Her fingers clutched Sharrkan's shirt and brutally shook his body awake, "Now's not the time to sleep. Don't joke around! HEY!"  To no avail, the white haired man is still out cold. She received no reactions or stirrings at all.

 

This is bad. Really bad. She could only gulp because _Oh god,_ she’ll be alone. And despite her initial distaste at Sharrkan, it was better than being alone in a place like this.  She breathed heavily and bit her lip, trying to think logical in a time like this. She was trembling.

 

 "Hey...Sharrkan?"  The name was so foreign in her mouth since she never used that to call him before. Heck, she could even say 100 more suitable names to call him-all not too pleasant too hear. But she was desperate enough. Enough to hold on to that sliver of hope that he'll perhaps wake up at  
the sound of his name.

.

.

.

"Who am I kidding?" Her expectant shoulders slumped in defeat. _Nothing._ She should've known not to get her hopes high and face the reality that the silver head won't wake up for a while. Ugh, why did she even bother?

 

She looked around and noticed the stillness inside the whole building. The turmoil outside stopped  
altogether with the severe smack of rain earlier.  Everything was so tranquil now and it somehow makes her sigh in relief, calming her rioting heart. She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Observing her surroundings, she remarked that light is now filtering through the windows adjacent to the..rooms?

 

She looked closely at the doors before confirming that they are, indeed, back to the hall where the  
music room was. Standing up hesitantly, she dragged her companion by the arm(because he's way too heavy to carry) towards the door near them. Her hand was still unsteady but she found comfort once her hand settled on the doorknob that seems so _familiar_ she will never mistake it for anything else, twisting it and was greeted by a sight she knows so well.

 

_The music room. Thank God._

 

With a grunt, she hauled her passed out companion inside and settled him on the floor before opening the windows to let some light in. The music room immediately became clear to her sight as the moonlight crept inside, ' _So it's this late already, huh?_ '

 

Yamuraiha exhaled and thought about her supposed sleepover at Pisti's after working at the café today. She's thankful since her Grandpa won't be worried right now on her whereabouts but what about Pisti? She shrugs at the thought, ' _Pisti's probably fooling around now with one of her boyfriends._ '  She looks back to where she has laid out the idiot now snoring softly. She goes over and checks him up again but this time, she observed his features now illuminated by the radiance of the moon.

  
She notes how peaceful he looks right now with lips parted slightly and his jaw relaxed, devoid of any tension or anger he always musters up when she's near. She notices the crease on his eyebrows and, before she could even register what she's doing, smoothed it out using her fingers softly.

 "There," She smiles when she was answered by an incoherent mumble. If he has always been like this, she would actually admit that he looks, well...handsome and perhaps she'll understand why women just throw themselves at him. (Though, of course, Sinbad is just on another level entirely.)

 

She stiffened, _did she just call him handsome?_

 

Her smile turned down at the thought. Shaking her head and dismissing the thought as absurd, she took off her backpack and used it as a makeshift pillow for Sharrkan. She looked around for something to do, she was not going out of this room anytime soon. Not when those _things_ are out there, still roaming around.

 

She spots the closed grand piano near the choir platform at the center. ' _Might as well play? But what if those monsters will hear?_ ' Still her feet unconsciously walked towards the instrument, her hand touching the comforting smooth surface of the piano's fall board covering the keyboard. She sat at the piano bench before gingerly propping the fall board.

 

 ' _Oh hush, they won't hear as long as you play softly. The hall where we came from is far from here...I think,_ ' she pouted and nodded her head, trying to convince herself.

 

She breathed softly before fiddling first with the keys like she always does. It was some kind of warm up or ritual for her to get in the mood before she straightened her posture, her right foot now settling on one of the pedals.  She paints a scene on her mind and tries to breathe it out to life using her graceful fingers. She hums as she closes her eyes, imagining a girl's smile, the pain of a broken heart that was not yet broken but crumbling out of insecurities.

 

_[ Say you love me to my face_

_I need it more than your embrace._

_Just say you want me, that's all it takes_

_Heart's getting torn from your mistakes. ]_

 

Yamuraiha has always wanted to experience the bittersweet feelings of having a first love or perhaps an unrequited love. Call her a sap or whatever but sometimes, the monotony of life is just tiring and boring. She was happy, yes, being single was fun and has its perks but is it wrong to wish for the elevating butterflies fluttering feeling brought by being in love?(or at least that's how it was described in the novels she read. _God_ , what a hopeless romantic she was) Though she admits the idea itself was just painful but just like they always say: you won't know joy without any pain. And she has learned how to experience such emotions--through the smooth black and white keys of a piano—whenever she could only be alone.

 

You see, her music teacher has always said that perfect timing and smooth precise playing was the way it is to perfect music. But young Yamuraiha was never contented with just precision, movies and motions were better! So she imagined the simple joys in life like basking under the warm sunlight, the scent of flowers wafting around her nose, the feeling of warm, dewy grass under her feet and the laughter of her playmates around whenever she plays. Unfortunately, no one appreciated it. She was taught that altering notes was not beautiful, that it completely destroys the masterpiece composition made. So she has decided to only play with emotions when she's alone, that way she can still be happy and let her imagination run wild even though the pieces she plays are what people dub as 'boring classical compositions'.

 

Sinbad was the one who discovered her and asked her to join his band. She was against it at first, questioning his sanity for asking a classical geek like her to join a band that consist of nothing but rock music loving idiots but of course, Sinbad being Sinbad was persistent. She ends up agreeing, still not used to playing with emotions and played stiffly in their songs. Sinbad doesn't seem to mind though. But the exhilaration of crowds cheering for them was enough indication that she's playing well.

 

_[ 'Cause I don't want to fall in love, If you don't want to try._

_'Cause all that I've been thinking of is maybe that you're mine._

_'Cause, babe, it's just as though,We're running out of words to say_

_And love's floating away. ]_

 

 

 _[ Won't you stay?_  
_Won't you stay? ]_

 

The teal-head finishes off her piece as her saccharine voice now resonates softly within the four walls of the music room, filled with despair, hurt and resignation from the vision she sees and breathes through her fingers. She exhales and opens her eyes, seeing her fingers settling on the last keys. She realizes how calm her heart has become after playing and greatly thanks herself for thinking this out.

 

 

Everything remains still just the way it was earlier before a sudden clearing of throat broke off the silence. Yamuraiha jolted and quickly turned back, looking at the source of the noise. Sharrkan stood in the middle of the room with a stunned expression and for a moment, both of them didn't speak.

 

"S-Since when were you awake?"

 

Instead of answering her, Sharrkan just remained frozen on his spot, his heart hammering inside his ribcage for unknown reasons after seeing her and hearing her play in that loose…liberated style, contrary to the usual uptight one he had ever witnessed.

 

Because he might’ve seen the most beautiful sight he has ever seen play before his very own eyes painted by a saccharine voice and a moving melody.

 

 _Goddamn_ was it breathtaking.

.

.

.

.

. 

  
And it was at this moment that Sharrkan knew, he was fucked.

 

 

_He just fell in love._

_He is in love._

_With Yamuraiha._

 

 

“ **Shit.** ”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry if my writing changed a lot (and sucked a lot). I haven't been writing anything remotely creative for a year now so I'm really rusty as hell. 
> 
> And you guys might be wondering, 'Where the fuq is the continuation of the ENJA that just happened IN THE LAST CHAPTER?' or 'WHY THE FUQ ARE WE HAVING SHARRYAMU instead of SINJAEN?' 
> 
> Well, before you brick me, let me explain. I had planned since the beginning to write filler chapters randomly like this for all the ships I've tagged, hence why there are just so many random ships tagged in this fic. (Because I'm a masochist who likes to make things complicated AF...jk.) I dun know. I guess, I like challenging myself. 
> 
> (Besides filler chapters like this will have hidden implications as to what's happening to SINJAEN too /coughs/Sinbad being irritated of the blue. I wonder why??/coughs/ )
> 
> SO I hope you, guys, don't mind this types of chapters popping out of nowhere sometimes.  
> I'll try to start and finish the next chapter soon. However, I can't make any promises as my midterms are coming up. (Yup, we start school wayyy too early where I am from.)
> 
> Also, this chapter isn't done yet as its omakes are still undergoing construction. I might update it the next time I'll post the next chapter. 
> 
> Thank you for reading! <3


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